Itinerary trip help July/August 2027 West Coast

Can I ask what is the attraction of Cavan as it doesn't usually feature on most itineraries. It could be done beteween Dublin and the west coast. Think about flying into one and out of the other.

With ten days don't be too ambitious and try and see everything. Driving in Ireland is slow and it will take longer to cover the miles than you might expect. If using google maps it is recommended to add 25% to their driving times AND THEN ADD on time for stops (meals and comfort breaks as well as sightseeing). Ireland is the kind of place to slow down and relax.

What sort of things are you wanting to do/see in Ireland as that will help identify places to visit and places to stay. (The must sees are the places YOU want to visit rather than those someone else has said you must go to... My must sees could be those from hell for you!)

How much research have you done and what areas are appealing to you?

DY Eyewitness Ireland is one of the best guide books - it has lots of pictures as well as good descriptions. It also coveres many more places that the other guide books and features the hidden gems off the usual tourist routes. Maps are also good enough for initial planning purposes and there are suggested itineraries, places to stay and eat.

This guidebook will be a go for me, as I am much more of a paper kind of gal, so thank you for that. Interesting about the drive times as well, that will be good to know. I want to go to Cavan because that's where I have traced my family to. I don't want to be another obnoxious American claiming to be Irish, but I would like just to see it for my own sake. I am really interested to see any traditional arts and just everyday living really. I would also really like to see the Aran Islands, but I think I might be getting a little ambitious for 10 days. If you have any thoughts on the west coast, I would love to hear them.

I’m assuming you have come across this website about Cavan which lists many different things you could do and see there. You could easily spend a few days there - it looks a lot more interesting than I realised!

Not knowing where you are planning to base yourself in Cavan, I was wondering about a day trip across the border into Northern Ireland to the Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh.

It covers the history of people who emigrated from Ulster to America in search of a better life. Buildings from across Ulster have been brought to the site and reconstructed here. Museum staff have researched the stories of the people living in the buildings - their way of life and why they decided to emigrate. Costumed interpreters are in each of the buildings to tell their stories There is a reconstruction of part of one of the ships used to carry them to America. (It was a perilous journey as they didn’t know how long it would take or where exactly they would land - it all depended on the weather... They had to take everything with them that they might need for the journey and living conditions were very cramped with limited time allowed on deck.) There are then either reconstructed houses brought from America or reconstructions of the houses they lived in once they arrived. Again there are costumed interpreters explaining how the families adjusted to their new way of life and the problems facing them. It is a fascinating visit and will give a glimpse of the way of life experienced by your family.

You can’t go wrong with anywhere on the west coast. It would be possible to visit the Aran Islands in your time scale for a day trip, or even an overnight) BUT you have to weight that up against what to cut out...

Most people head to Kerry (usually basing in Killarney or Kenmare) and Dingle. County Galway and up into Mayo is also popular and I actually prefer them to Kerry and Dingle. You can do a day trip to the Aran Islands from Galway. Donegal is only just being discovered by visitors and has some superb scenery (but without the crowds).

Don’t try and see all of them in your ten days. Limit yourself to two - either Kerry and Dingle or Galway/Mayo and Donegal. (These are also a lot closer to Cavan, so less time spent travelling....)

Come back once you have begun to pin down your ideas - there are so many wonderful places to visit, it's difficult to know where to begin!

We're headed to Cavan in May '27 for two nights. Cavan was one of the "10 undervisited" in the Irish Times a few years ago, which induced me to include it. Besides being surrounded with lakes laced with hikes and boating/kayak opportunities, it's part of a large Geopark. There are wedge tombs, Drulane Abbey, an old castle, and best of all, for my taste, is a weekly Sunday afternoon trad session at the Farnham Arms (where we're staying). We're in Cong the prior night(s), and using Trim as the final stay before flying home.

You can combine a trip to an Aran Island for a day or overnight (recommended) with a boat trip along the foot of the Cliffs on Moher, that way avoiding the crunch of tourists up top. We tried the Cliffs by car in June and drove through the full parking lot and fleet of busses, and fled. You have to go early or late I'm told. Or you could go to the Cliffs of Kerry or Slieve League instead.

I am big fan of "heritage" travel and encourage you to find out as much as you can about your family in Cavan before the trip, including any known gravesites, where they may have lived or worked, etc. It sounds very woo-woo, but I have found that it's very powerful to walk the land your people walked.
I suggest flying into Dublin and doing a counterclockwise loop to Cavan, Galway and back. Most folks on the forum recommend not driving after an overnight flight, and a lot of people spend their first couple of days in Dublin. If you don't want to "waste" time in Dublin on such a short trip, consider somewhere close by start your trip. Drogheda is quite close and provides good access to Newgrange. Or Malahide on the sea.